Monday, September 26, 2016

After spending some time in the world of documentaries last
night, I decided that I wanted to take a trip into something darker. After some
debate, I decided on the 2015 found footage flick JeruZalem.

Plot/ When a couple of American young adults fly to Israel
to visit the city of Jerusalem, a biblical nightmare falls upon the city.

This film is definitely one that will be polarizing,
especially viewing it as strictly a found footage film. Yes, this one suffers
from many of the flaws that plague the genre with overdone acting and a narrow
view of everything that is happening in an around the city (yes, I would have
loved to see more of the demons). To me, the historic references, biblical
overtones, and some of the underlying social conflicts make it interesting on a
higher level than most mindless horror that comes out in this age. While it is
found footage, the idea of using something similar to Google Glass is a
thought-provoking approach to filmmaking and there is just enough creepiness
with the creatures (Nephilim?). Yes, the acting is a bit uneven and there are
some giant holes in the storyline, but those should be expected with this type
of found footage entry. In the end, this is not the best movie in the genre,
but it is far from the worst. If you like this style of film, give it a shot.
If you do not, I would likely stay away.

Sunday, September 25, 2016

While I am fighting through this miserable cold, I decided
to kick back and relax tonight. Luckily, Bren decided to find something
interesting to watch. To my surprise, it was a documentary on a very polarizing
subject. What was it? It was the 2012 documentary We Are Legion: The Story of
the Hacktivists.

Plot/ We Are Legion traces the collective's breathtaking
evolution from merry pranksters to a full-blown, global movement, one armed
with new weapons of civil disobedience for an online world.

It has been a while since I ventured into a documentary, and this one may be one of the best I have seen in some time. This one is extremely informative and definitely is a great gateway inside the mind of the collective. Whether you are a fan of anonymous or not, the ideals that exist within the mutual voice should be applauded. Information is power and ideas are bulletproof, thoughts that the globalists that are attempting to overtake society fear and want to destroy. If you do not believe me, listen to some of the speeches by President Obama and candidate Clinton, they want to hand over control of the internet and control free speech to usher in totalitarian control throughout the world. This documentary does a great job at showing the hactivist movement from their humble beginnings, through their development through Reddit and 4chan, and to where they are today. One of the areas that were surprising was the overall lack of supervision or structure within the organization, creating a dynamic that could is both helpful and harmful to the organization. Overall, it does only focus on a few of the more notable causes, but it does show the viewer the power of the movement. In the end, if you would like to see a documentary that is informative and highlights a movement that is often misunderstood, you have to watch this. It is well worth your time!

Saturday, September 24, 2016

After taking the night off to take Jolene to a Jake Bugg concert
with Bren being sick, I decided that I needed to kick back today and relax.
While I did catch a few new shows, I needed to get back to some movies to help
pass some time this evening. My first choice was the 2016 adaptation of the
classic fairy tale Sleeping Beauty,
with The Curse of Sleeping Beauty.

Plot/ Thomas Kaiser inherits an ancestral mansion that has
been in his family for generations, only to learn that he has also inherited an
ancient curse stemming back to the Crusades.

Every once in a while, I decide to take a chance on
something different and become extremely surprised by what I decided on. That
was definitely the case with this one, as it was much better than I initially
imagined. Yes, it did not come without some flaws with predictable characters,
clichéd plot twists, and some of the movie felt rushed, but those issues do not
totally bring the movie down. The performances are decent, the direction and
cinematography work well to create some interestingly atmospheric moments, and
the overall feel was much darker than I expected. In the end, this is
definitely not your normal take on the Sleeping
Beauty fairy tale being more of a horror flick than fantasy. As with many
movies in this realm, a viewer will either love it or hate it, personally I
enjoyed it. Give it a shot and make your own decision.

Thursday, September 22, 2016

There really is nothing better than the classic Italian horror
films of the 1980s. Whether it was Argento, Bava, or Fulci, there understanding
of the genre was incredible. Tonight, I decided to revisit one of those
masters, with the 1981 Lucio Fulci entry The Beyond on Shudder.

Plot/ A young woman inherits an old hotel in Louisiana where
after a series of supernatural accidents, she learns that the building was
built over one of the entrances to Hell.

As a horror fan, growing up in the 1980s was a dream come
true, as some of the best horror movies came from that era with the Italian
horror maestros creating some of the greatest films of the genre. In this Lucio
Fulci classic, you will find everything that made those films great. This is a
great combination of atmosphere, gore, and storyline that created a movie that
may be one of the most influential films of the era. The performances are
solid; the special effects are outstanding, the cinematography flows perfectly
within the atmospheric soundtrack, and there is enough gore to make every fan
of the genre smile. Sure, the nonlinear storyline and structure may not agree
with everyone, and some may seem slow, but those are but minor flaws in this
entry. In the end, this movie is one of the best from the decade and a movie
that has stood the test of time. Plus, with some Lovecraftian elements
sprinkled in, there is a lot more to like than with most films from this
period. If you have not seen it, you are missing out! Watch it now!

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Yesterday, I took a night off to deal with a miserable cold;
I felt the need to find something different tonight for my evening
entertainment. After some searching, I decided on the 2016 NETFLIX Original
ARQ.

Plot/ Trapped in a lab and stuck in a time loop, a
disoriented couple fends off masked raiders while harboring a new energy source
that could save humanity.

ARQ may sound like a clichéd Sci-Fi interpretation of a loop
film, but in many ways, it is much more than that. This is a solid, well
thought out, and intriguing Sci-Fi thriller that is definitely worth watching.
The acting is sound, the storyline has enough twists and turns to keep your
attention, the scene progressions are logical, and the overall atmosphere
offers some suspense. Yes, it may be a touch confusing to the passive viewer
and some of it may seem a bit off, but that does very little to bring this one
down. In the end, this may be one of the best time travel flicks to come out in
some time, and it is a movie that solidifies NETFLIX as a viable studio in the
Sci-Fi community. If you have not seen it, you should!

Monday, September 19, 2016

Sequels are always difficult to venture into. While some
exist that at least match the quality of the source material, most fall flat.
Of course, this is usually the case when Hollywood is more concerned about
money than originality. In my next review, I cover a sequel that was clearly
more about money than an original concept: Jaws 2.

Plot/ Police chief Brody must protect the citizens of Amity
after a second monstrous shark begins terrorizing the waters.

In many ways, this movie was doomed from the start. Think
about it, no matter how good it was, there would be no way for it to live up to
the bar set by the classic Jaws. Now, that does not make it a bad movie, but it
does hamper its ability to stand on its own and capture the audience in the
same way that the original. While there are some positives with decent
performances, the awesome soundtrack, and some outstanding technical aspects,
the overall atmosphere did not match the tension of the first. Add on the lack
of memorable characters, an uneven storyline, and a predictable premise, and it
is easy to why this one did not live up to the expectations set by the timeless
Jaws. In the end, this is a perfect example of a movie franchise that did not
need to add any sequels to secure its legacy in cinematic lore. Is this a bad
movie? No, it really isn’t, but there is no way that it could have ever matched
the depth or powerful impression left by the original. If you are in the mood
for a shark movie, give it a shot, if not, watch the original; it has more
bite.

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Tonight after catching the end of the Steelers game because
of a high school softball game, I decided to kick back and finish review the
movies I caught last night at the drive-in. Honestly, this was one of the
better double features to play in some time with Blair Witch and Don’t Breathe.
Since I did Blair Witch last night
when I got home, it is time for arguably one of the best films of the year (in
any genre) Don’t Breathe.

Plot/ Hoping to walk away with a massive fortune, a trio of
thieves break into the house of a blind man who is not as helpless as he seems.

I had heard a lot of hype about Don’t Breathe and was unsure what to expect from such a simple
premise. However, this one was one of the best thriller/suspense films I have
seen in some time and does show what can be accomplished by a studio when they
support an original idea of horror. This movie has everything that a horror fan
should appreciate, featuring a intense atmosphere that builds throughout, solid
performances from the minimalistic cast, and a storyline that offers enough
complexities to keep the viewer interested. Sure, there are a couple clichéd
moments and there may be too many plot twists sprinkled in, but the outstanding
characters and powerful visuals easily shroud those flaws. In the end, this
movie is one that must be seen to appreciate fully and is another example of
what horror can be if studios would embrace original ideas instead of
attempting to make a quick buck with a remake or reboot. If you have not seen
it, you should definitely watch it (if for nothing else to see the turkey
baster).

Saturday, September 17, 2016

After staying home last night and enjoying Viral, it was
awesome that Mother Nature decided to hold off the rain and let me head out to
the drive-in to see Blair Witch and Don’t Breathe. I love horror double
features and it is always such a good time when both movies offer something
different. The first review of those will be Blair Witch.

Plot/ After discovering a video showing what he believes to
be his sister's experiences in the demonic woods of the Blair Witch, James and
a group of friends head to the forest in search of his lost sibling.

I have heard so many different opinions on the Blair Witch
that I had to break down and see it. Luckily, it was playing at the
drive-in (with Don’t Breathe) and I was
able to catch it earlier tonight. What I found was interesting. Yes, it was not
perfect and I can see where some people would be turned off, but I could also
see why people would love it. I really believe there was a nice mixture of
homage to the original trip into the world and enough originality to create a
tremendously entertaining balance. The way the movie built atmosphere and
transitioned was done incredibly well and it created some intriguing elements
that ensure the viewer paid attention to. The performances were decent, the
storyline was developed, and for a found footage film, it had some new approaches
to creating some new angles for recording. Sure, the ending is a bit odd and
there were some jump scares that felt cliché, but those are easily overlooked.
In the end, this one definitely took me back to the original and actually
reminded me of what a real found footage film should look like. Of course, it
is not a perfect movie, but it is one that should be seen and enjoyed. Check it
out!

Friday, September 16, 2016

Now that the weekend has finally arrived, it was nice to
kick back and watch a movie that was actually somewhat believable in the grand
scheme of reality. Sure, something like this would be unlikely, but it would be
possible. What was that movie? It was the 2016 independent entry Viral.

Plot/ Following the outbreak of a virus that wipes out the
majority of the human population, a young woman documents her family's new life
in quarantine and tries to protect her infected sister.

When I saw this one, I actually expected another typical
outbreak type film. However, what I found was something different and somewhat
refreshing. While this is more of a slow burn character driven drama than
straight outbreak driven gorefest, it does have a few moments that jump out and
bring some of the horror elements to life. The scripting is solid, the characters
are at least somewhat memorable, and the cinematography is decent. Yes, it does
not bring everything to life in a manner that would make it overly exciting or
terrifying, the performances are average, and it felt somewhat predictable and
cliché, but it is still extremely watchable. In the end, it was an interesting
approach to a post apocalyptic/outbreak themed movie. If you like that type of
movie, you will definitely enjoy this one.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

There is nothing like watching one of those memorable films
that helped shape my love of the horror genre, and that is exactly what I did
last night. What was that movie? It was the 1963 splatterfest Blood Feast!

Plot/ An Egyptian caterer kills various women in suburban
Miami to use their body parts to bring to life a dormant Egyptian goddess,
while an inept police detective tries to track him down.

There are times where it can be difficult to trace the
origins of a storyline or genre. That is definitely not the case with this
movie, as it is one of the most influential movies of the splatter/gore
movement in horror. This movie by Herschell Gordon Lewis may not be the most
technically sound, it mat lack a coherent plot, and the effects are laughable
at best, but its place in horror history is cemented by the blood, guts, gore,
and beauties that became all the rage in exploitation and 1980s big box cinema.
In the end, this may not be the best movie of its kind and it has some major
problems besides what I already mentioned, but that does not matter one bit.
This movie takes no prisoners and does not care that it offends, which makes it
one of the best gorefests to ever grace the screen. If you have not seen it;
you are wrong! Check this one out.

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

After taking a strange nap yesterday, I was searching for
something different to watch. After searching Shudder, I decided to roll the
dice with the 2013 entry Discopath (Discopathe).

Plot/ The mid-70's: a timid young New Yorker leads an
uneventful life until he is fatefully exposed to the pulsating rhythms of a
brand-new genre of music: disco. Unable to control his murderous impulses that
stem from a traumatic childhood experience, Duane Lewis transforms into a
dangerous serial killer exiled to Montreal.

When I started this one, I had no idea what to expect.
Although, from the description on Shudder, I hoped it would at least be
entertaining. Guess what? It was much more than that and better than I could
have ever imagined. While the storyline is ludicrous, and much of it is over
the top, there is a lot to like and it is rather entertaining. Sure, this is
move of an exploitation schlockfest with a ton of comedic element sprinkled in,
but that is what makes it so fun, as it never takes itself too serious and it
allows the film to develop in a lighthearted manner. The performances are
uneven, the dialog and language varies scene to scene, and it is littered with
disco music (which may turn some people off), but there is enough going on to
make this a mindless trip into another time. In the end, this movie is much
better than one would expect and it is a movie that really flues under the
RADAR being from Canada. If you love schlock and classic mindless exploitation,
give it a shot; you will enjoy it.

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Last night I stayed away from the Internet and the blog to
watch, the Steelers take it to the Washington Redskins in their season opener.
Honestly, there is nothing like opening weekend in the NFL and it is the
greatest time of the year (next to Halloween). I did watch a few movies the day
before and am now trying catch up. The next movie for review is the 2015 Australian Sci-Fi entry Terminus.

Plot/ Following a near-fatal accident, David Chamberlain
makes an unprecedented discovery that will not only determine the fate of his
family, but of mankind.

There are times where you can watch a movie, and not truly
absorb it until a few hours later. That was the case with this movie. More of a
drama than Sci-Fi You entry, this movie does paint a strange picture of society
in a very familiar world that many of those who are awake will recognize. While
the movie starts slow and has some sluggish moments, there are some interesting
parts and enough atmospheres to make it a rather easy movie to watch. Unfortunately,
the plot may be revealed too early, the performances are uneven, and some of
the scripting is slow, aspects that definitely wear on you as a viewer. In the
end, this is not a bad movie; it just does not live up to its potential and can
feel unsatisfying. If you love Sci-Fi flicks, give it a shot; you could do
worse.

Sunday, September 11, 2016

After taking yesterday off to go watch West Virginia defeat
Youngstown State, I decided that it was time to get some movies in this
afternoon. While I did watch a variety of material, I figured I should change
things up a bit and review a classic. After some internal debate, I decided it
was time to look at the timeless 1975 entry Jaws.

Plot/ When a gigantic great white shark begins to menace the
small island community of Amity, a police chief, a marine scientist and a
grizzled fisherman set out to stop it.

I tend to stay away from classics here on The Ringmaster’s
Realm, but today, I decided to revisit a classic. I know everyone has heard of
Jaws, and really there is nothing more I can say that hasn’t already been said
or written somewhere. However, this is a movie that clearly stands the test of
time and has held up quite well over the past few decades. Based on the book by
Peter Benchley (who also gave me my introduction to the Bermuda Triangle), the
storyline and vision that Steven Spielberg created is still amazing. The cast
is masterful, with the characters all endearing themselves into every scene,
the soundtrack is perfect, the atmosphere heavy, and the scripting and
cinematography are examples that should be used in every film class. Hell, I
still don’t like swimming in the ocean (although, there is some of my Naval
career that influences that as well). Yes, the shark itself has some issues and
there are some points that make you scratch your head, but those are but minor
in the grand scheme. In the end, Jaws is a movie that helped shape not only a
genre but also a generation (and amazingly it was done with a PG rating). If you have not seen this original classic, you
are wrong. Watch it now!